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IGNOU OPEN LETTER | SEPTEMBER 15, 20102

Indira Gandhi National Open University has a faculty strength of over 1,000with doctoral and post-doctoral qualification who are occupying permanentfull-time positions as Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and

Professors or equivalent academic positions as Assistant Directors, DeputyDirectors and Directors. In addition, the University has a rich pool of about50,000 part-time academic counsellors. A large number of very eminentscientists and academicians are also serving the University as consultants,Emeritus Professors and Chair Professors. In terms of infrastructure, IGNOUhas its own built-up campus in New Delhi, spread across an area of about 170acres with state-of-the-art education media studio and ICT facilities. Thecampus houses the Edusat — the exclusive satellite for education for thecountry — provided by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The University also provides family residential facilities for over 400

teachers and other staff. In addition, IGNOU has 61 Regional Centres in its own buildings or in rented premises. The University is in the process of building facilities for all the RegionalCentres. Laboratories for specific science programmesand an Inter-University Consortium for Technology-Enabled Learning are also housed in the Campus. While these facilities are being effectively utilised

to provide coordination of distance teaching activities,in an attempt to maximise utilisation of infrastructure

and the vast experience of the large number of eminent academics, theUniversity has started full-time research, full-time post-graduate programmesin selected specialised areas and programmes under the ConvergenceScheme, wherein the top-class facilities of the best higher educationinstitutions in the country are availed for undergraduate and post-graduate teaching. The Research and Teaching Assistant (RTA) Scholarship Scheme, which

the University has started, has over 120 research scholars doing full-timeresearch and teaching assistance. The M.Phil. programmes and the rigorouscourse works which are mandatory for the Ph.D. programmes are also full-time campus teaching programmes. IGNOU has been offering such On-campus courses/programmes partly

or fully for the last several years. All the Engineering and Technology andComputer Science programmes, have their practical, project works and work-integrated learning. All distance education programmes have therequired full-time practicals and project work wherever relevant. B.Sc. and other vocational programmes have all their practicals and field work by direct teaching in recognised academic institutions, S&T or industrialestablishments. This issue of OpenLetter features the On-campus, Full-Time programmes of

the university in selected specific areas conducted in the main campus and also in other establishments and Regional Centres by making optimalutilisation of the facilities. There is lot of educational and training infrastructure as well as

intellectual capabilities available outside the confines of the formal educationsystem in the country. Without compromising the original objectives andfocus of the participating institutions, and ensuring quality, rigour andstandards, new programmes and innovative strategies for providing relevanteducation and training need to be worked out. All over the world, universities, including Open Universities, are engaged

in such practices effectively. A country aspiring to enhance its GrossEnrollment Ratio (GER) from 12 to 40 percent in the next five years needs to contextualise such processes and offer the best quality education tomaximum students through its various Universities.

4

CONTENTS

Back to Classroom

A Connecting Force

INFOCUS: IGNOU’sOn-CampusProgrammes arehelping build anational pool oftrained professionals,thus boosting India’sGross EnrollmentRatio (GER)

TEACHERS’ DAY ......03

CULINARY INSTITUTE..11

NEWS UPDATES..........12

REGIONAL UPDATES ...15

MILESTONES ..............16

GYAN DARSHAN..........16

8 SPOTLIGHT: At the click of a button,IGNOU’s SMS Alerts Service has broughtlearners across the country one stepcloser to useful information

IGNOU OPEN LETTER is Printed by Printek Grafix, 148-D, Pocket-F, GTB Enclave, Delhi-110093 and

Published by Ravi Mohan, Chief Public Relations Officer, Indira Gandhi National Open University,

Maidan Garhi. New Delhi 110068.Ph: +91-11-29571000 (30 lines); +91-11-29535924-29

Fax: +91-11-29535933; E-mail: [email protected]

Managing Editor: Ravi MohanPhotos: Rajesh Sharma/Amlan Paliwal

Advisory Council:Prof P.R. Ramanujam,

Dr Latha Pillai

Design and Production: IANS Publishing

www.ianspublishing.com

FROMthe vice chancellor

V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 3

TEACHERS’day

On-campusstudents celebrateTeachers’ Day

The essence of celebratingTeachers’ Day, in a nutshell,is to acknowledge andrespect our teachers (gurus)

who help us acquire skill-basedknowledge and teach us how tostay afloat in the sea ofcompetition. Keeping with this Guru-Shishya

tradition, on-campus students andResearch and Training Assistants(RTAs) celebrated ‘Guru Dakshina’at the Convention Centre in MaidanGarhi on September 5.In the presence of nearly 400

teachers, researchers and students,Chief Guest Prof G.K. Chadha, CEO,South Asia University and Member,Prime Minister’s Economic AdvisoryCouncil, proudly told the gatheringthat a teacher-student relationshipis a two-way street where both learnfrom each other. “While a teacherhelps build his/her student’s career,a student, in return, makes theteacher upgrade his/her skills,” Prof Chadha added.Students of School of Performing

and Visual Arts (SOPVA) enthralledthe audience with theirperformance. Learners of theNational Centre for DisabilityStudies (NCDS) performed a playtitled ‘Ek Adarsh Shikshak’ thatwas well appreciated. Students from campus and the

Regional Centres in Delhi paidtributes to teachers. On the occasion, Vice Chancellor

Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillaiannounced the extension of librarytimings for students from 6 pm to8:30 pm on all working days.In a gesture aimed at paying

tribute to the great educationist, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, theparticipants left their signatures ona board, marking the end of thecelebrations.n

(From top) a Teachers’ Day banner showing signatures of on-campus

students, RTAs and IGNOU faculty; Participants paying tribute to

their teachers through a play titled ‘Ek Adarsh Shikshak’ and a song

performance at the Convention Centre on September 5.


INFocus

Campus LearnersManogna H. Shastry lives among

the stars, literally. A third-semester student ofone-of-its-kind residential

Integrated M.Sc-Ph.D. Programme inAstronomy and Astrophysics, offered byIGNOU in collaboration with the IndianInstitute of Astrophysics (IIA) at itssprawling campus in Bengaluru, Shastry isone happy learner.“There are several interesting features

in this Programme. Firstly, it is one of thefew Integrated Ph.D. Programmes offeredanywhere in the country. Secondly, itoffers specialisation in Astronomy andAstrophysics, providing researchorientation to students who have

completed B.Sc. In the first year, I learntfundamental subjects like ClassicalMechanics, Quantum Mechanics,Statistical Mechanics, Electro-dynamicsand so on. In the third semester, I’mlooking forward to specialisation inAstrophysics, although I am yet to narrowdown on a particular topic.”For Shastry, visits to the Kavalur and

Gauribidanur Radio Observatories madethe learning all the more concrete. TheVainu Bappu Observatory at Kavalur is themain optical observatory of the Institutefor night-time astronomy. The GauribidanurRadio Observatory has a decametre wave radio telescope array and aradioheliograph. “I am thankful to IGNOU

IGNOU’s On-CampusProgrammes are helping build a nationalpool of trainedprofessionals toincrease India’sGross EnrollmentRatio (GER)

BUSTLING WITH ACTIVITY: The otherwise quiet campus of IGNOU has become more alive with the introduction of Face-to-Face programmes.

Seen in the photo, on-campus students, enrolled in varied disciplines, outside the classroom complex at the University Headquarters.

for this opportunity at a premier institutionlike IIA that is devoted to research in thefield of Astronomy and Astrophysics,” saysSagar, another student.Change is in the air. Questions like

unification of teaching modes(conventional and Open and DistanceLearning Systems) and convergence is thetalk of the hour. The ODL System is all setto complement the classroom mode ofteaching. At least, the global trends sayso (see box).“If conventional universities can start

distance-learning programmes, then whycan’t an ODL leader like IGNOU beginFace-to-Face, On-campus programmes?The broad idea is to provide students amore practical-based education so thatthey can develop need-based skills andcontribute to the national pool ofprofessionals,” stresses Dr C.K. Ghosh,Director, National Centre for Innovation inDistance Learning (NCIDE) and NodalOfficer, Community College Unit (CCU).“An institution like IGNOU doesn’t have

resources to build observatories ortelescopes; but via collaborativeprogrammes, the University has been able

to fulfill the ambition of several talentedstudents across the country,” adds Dr Ghosh.The idea is simple, yet great. The

handshaking of the ODL System and theconventional mode of teaching is thefuture and IGNOU has envisaged a rare collaborative approachbetween the two differentuniversity Systems — to offeradvantages to students inmyriad ways.Listen to Vice Chancellor

Professor V.N. RajasekharanPillai and you will decipher howIGNOU is going to deliverquality at the upper end of thelearning spectrum — in high-end research and streamssuch as engineering, medicine,technology and the naturalsciences — on campus.“To overcome the problems

caused by a scarcity of seatsin the higher education sectorand ensure a significantincrease in the national pool of trained professionals, IGNOUwent on forging innovativealliances and networking with theinstitutions, in both public and privatesectors, that had resources to help usmaximise the educational returns byutilising state-of-the-art facilities availablewith them.”

“We strive to optimally utilise theeducational and training infrastructure aswell as the intellectual capabilities in boththe formal and informal sectors to ensurethat we achieve our national mission ofsignificantly increasing the GrossEnrollment Ratio,” adds Prof Pillai.Aarchie Bhatia, who is doing an M.Sc in

Dietetics and Food Service Management(DFSM), a Programme run in collaborationwith the prestigious Pusa Institute in NewDelhi, quips: “IGNOU is putting in a greateffort in making the programme at parwith other universities. The University hasprovided us with a professional facultythat is grooming us to step into thecompetitive world. Everything related tothe programme — teaching method,interaction with experts, field visits,practical sessions — has provedextremely beneficial to me.”Shikha Saxena, Assistant Professor at

Ginni Devi Modi Girls (P.G.) College inModinagar, Uttar Pradesh, gives all creditto IGNOU. “The IGNOU-Pusa M.Sc DFSMProgramme is very comprehensive interms of courseware. The success of theprogramme can be seen in the fact thatIGNOU learners are now successfully

clearing those scholarship examsearlier cleared by Delhi Universitystudents. The Face-to-Faceclasses and hands-on trainingsessions have helped manystudents get good jobs in theindustry,” she says.

According to Dr DeekshaKapur, Programme Coordinator,M.Sc (DFSM), the Programmeaddresses the needs of trainingworkforce/developingmanpower (dietitians, nutritioncounsellors, food servicemanagers, etc.) for emergingemployment-rich sectors likehospitals/community dietetics,food service management.“Practical courses constitute

the backbone of thisProgramme. From the January2011 session, we will make

three-month internship compulsory to help the learners develop skills andcompetencies that make an efficient andeffective dietitian,” Kapur adds.Fr. Jose Alex CMI, Director, Rajagiri

College of Engineering and Technology(RCET), Kochi, says:“There are no twoopinions about theincreasing demand forprofessionally-trainedand competentpersonnel in varioussectors. The IGNOU-

RCET’s Face-to-Face programmes are aimed at providing a distinctivecombination of academic excellence andindustry relevance. RCET has expertiseand domain knowledge besides bestinfrastructure facilities, which are themain reasons for IGNOU to collaboratewith Rajagiri in designing courses toimpart practical knowledge and skills to students and prepare them forprofessionally satisfying and rewardingemployment.”

Campus comes alive

The IGNOU Headquarters at Maidan Garhiis buzzing with student activity, thanks toresidential Programmes. Today, there areover 500 On-campus students enrolled in22 streams like Performing Arts, B.A. inSign Language, M.Sc (Economics), ForeignLanguages and so on.


“IGNOU is puttingin a great effortin making theprogramme at par with otheruniversities.Everythingrelated to theprogramme hasproved extremelybeneficial to me.”

— Aarchie Bhatia, Student, M.Sc (DFSM)

“Inputs gathered through lectures willhelp IGNOU convert Face-to-Faceprogrammes into online programmes forthe benefit of our distance learners too.”

— Prof Gopinath Pradhan, SOSS


Prof K. Satchidanandan, Director, Schoolof Translation Studies and Training (SOTST)that is offering M.A. in Translation Studiesand Training Programme in Face-to-Facemode, is happy witnessing the otherwisequiet campus bursting with activities.“The Face-to-Face Programmes are

complementing ODL strategy in a greatway. I believe that the introduction of On-campus Programmes has brought in anew youthful feel to the University. Thecampus has become more alive, which is avery welcoming move.”“In order to encourage more students

to take up IGNOU’s On-campusProgrammes, SOTST will launch two moreFace-to-Face Programmes — M.Phil inTranslation Studies and Training and Ph.D.in Translation Studies and Training —starting January 2011,” informs ProfSatchidanandan.For Prof Gopinath Pradhan of the School

of Social Sciences, IGNOU’s On-campusProgrammes are a boon for the students.“Since these are new programmes, viaclassroom mode of teaching, we willdevelop the expertise where the inputsgathered through the series of lectures willhelp the University convert them intoonline Programmes for the benefit of ourdistance learners too.“Three M.Sc. (Economics) Programmes,

viz., Actuarial Economics,Applied Quantitative Financeand Environmental Economics,have been launched as full-timeprogrammes from two centres— IGNOU’s New Delhi Campusand Madras School ofEconomics (MSE), ChennaiCampus, from the academicsession July 2010. The numberof students in the first batch ateach Centre is 39 and 46,respectively. Theseprogrammes are an outcome of the joint efforts of MSE andIGNOU which signed aMemorandum of Collaborationto develop academicprogrammes of quality. IGNOUenvisages developing theseprogrammes into distanceeducation modules drawinginputs from the directteaching,” Pradhan says.“The convergence is here to stay,” says

Dr Harkirat Bains, Director, School ofTourism and Hospitality ServicesManagement. (SOTHSM)“SOTHSM is running quite a few

On-campus, Face-to-Face programmes. IGNOU Certificate programmes are run incollaboration with the Madhya PradeshTourism Development Corporation

(MPTDC). Similar programmeshave been accepted byTourism Boards of Sikkim,Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu& Kashmir. We are also intalks with other institutes to start more Face-to-Faceprogrammes. The trend todayis to converge ODL and On-campus style of teaching.”Admitting that the

handshake between the ODL system and Classroomteaching is inevitable to getthe best results, she says that“the ODL system cannot workalone, especially for thehospitality sector, wherein abulk of the curriculum requiresFace-to-Face teaching andhands-on training.”Prof P.R. Ramanujam,

Pro-VC and Director, STRIDE,says the On-campus B.A. Programme inSign Language has not only helped hearingimpaired students get higher education butalso bettered their lives. Guan Xeunsong, astudent from Henan province of China, isenthusiastic. “I joined this course to learnabout the culture of hearing impaired andIndian sign language. The campus life isvibrant and it feels like home here.”

Convergence is the keyIGNOU has understood this realitysooner than later, while adopting theconcept of Partner Institutions andCommunity Colleges. Today, with over442 Community Colleges and 61Partner Institutions, it has broken theglass ceiling that an Open Universitycan’t do justice with classroom mode of teaching.“The collaboration of IGNOU with the

“Introduction ofOn-Campusprogrammeshas brought ina new youthfulfeel to IGNOU.The campushas becomemore alive.”

— Professor K. SatchidanandanDirector, SOTST

On-campus students attending a lecture at the IGNOU Headquarters.

From Allama Iqbal Open University of

Pakistan to UK Open University, the trend

is clear. More and more Open Universities

are paving the way for Full-Time residential

programmes, either On-campus or in

collaboration with public/private institutions.

The UK Open University (UKOU) offers an

academically rich and intellectually exciting

research environment at its main Walton Hall

campus in Milton Keynes, where all the main

University facilities are sited.

In addition to the research programmes

hosted on the Walton Hall campus, the

research community is enhanced through

collaborations with top ranked institutions in

the UK and worldwide.

UKOU research and the associated

programmes of study are recognised and

renowned throughout the world. As a key part of

ODL GOING CAMPUS WAY


Harish-Chandra Research Institute (underthe Department of Atomic Energy), IndianInstitute of Astrophysics (Department ofS&T), Madhya Pradesh Council of Scienceand Technology, Institute of Biotechnologyand Bio-informatics, International Instituteof Informational Technology, MadrasInstitute of Developmental Studies, and theIndian Institute of Economic Growth, forpost-graduate education and research, is inline with the global trends of open

universities strengthening research byeffective utilisation of infrastructuralfacilities and intellectual capabilities,” saysProf Pillai.

“The way naturecreates symmetry,unification of ODLsystem and brick-and-mortar classrooms isthe future. Only in thisway can we enhance

the GER and contribute significantlytowards the National Skills Mission in theDecade of Innovation,” adds Dr Ghosh.Chandrashekhar, 23, a Master of Fine

Arts learner, believes he has receivedbetter opportunities in IGNOU. Havingdone his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts fromJamia Millia Islamia University, he feelsthat IGNOU is not only providing goodexposure to students, but also has apeaceful atmosphere away from thehustle-bustle of life. “Teachers here arequite cooperative and take extra care ofstudents,” he adds.Prasenjit Kumar, enrolled in the full-time

M.A. Programme in Translation Studies,says, “This is the only University that isoffering Master’s Degree in this stream.Not many students are aware of such aprogramme; but soon, the world will cometo know. The scope is tremendous inTranslation Studies. From next yearonwards, this Programme will also begin in distance mode.”The die is cast. And for good. n

“IGNOU is offering one of the few IntegratedPh.D. Programmes in Astronomy andAstrophysics in India, thus providingresearch orientation to students.”

— Manogna H. Shastry, Student

Students of Master of Fine Arts (Painting) (MVAP) programme busy finishing assignments.

ODL GOING CAMPUS WAYits evolving research agenda the University

provides a range of higher research degree options

that meet rigorous academic standards. There are

over 1,000 Post-Graduate research students

currently studying with UKOU.

The idea of starting On-Campus research

programmes is central to the development of

technologies and processes that will benefit future

generations, says the UKOU Website. The range is

dynamic: from Art History to Business and

Management; from Languages and Applied

Linguistics to Planetary and Space Sciences.

M. Sc. (Hon.) in Agriculture Extension, Livestock

Management and Rural Development at Allama

Iqbal Open University of Pakistan are Full-Time

On-campus programmes.

In addition to this, the Open University of

Hong Kong also offers Full-Time and Part-Time

Face-to-Face Programmes.

Some of the programmes that are taught on

campus are Master of Arts in Applied Translation,

Master of Arts in Legal Translation, Certificate in

Law Enforcement and Security Management,

Special Part-Time Face-to-Face Programmes for

police inspectors, Master of Science in Energy and

Environmental Sustainability, Post-Graduate

Certificate in Energy and Environmental

Sustainability (Energy Management and Audits),

Post-Graduate Certificate in Energy and

Environmental Sustainability (Cleaner Production

and Green Technology), Master of Engineering in

Engineering Management, Master of Engineering

in Energy and Environmental Technology

Management.

In addition, the University also offers Face-to-

Face programmes in Liberal Studies and Safety,

Occupational Health and Environmental

Management.

8 IGNOU OPEN LETTER | SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

Prem Bahadur Chetry never thoughtthat pursuing a B.Ed programmefrom IGNOU would be so easy andhassle free, especially considering

the area he resides in — Bomdila — aremote town situated in the northwesternpart of Arunachal Pradesh, whereconnectivity and the Internet are still newconcepts. But, these drawbacks are nownot a barrier between Chetry and his higherstudies, all thanks to the Indira GandhiNational Open University’s SMS AlertsService — a unique facility that connectsthe University with its learners across thecountry at the a click of a button.

“Bomdila is still far from all types ofcommunication. While living in regions likeBomdila and Tawang, it becomes difficultto pursue distance education. Theintroduction of IGNOU’s SMS AlertsService has relieved me greatly. All the important information — such asschedules of admission, workshops,

examination forms — is sent on mymobile,” says Chetry.

The service has enabled alldepartments and headquarters in thenational capital to communicate withlearners all over India, and RegionalCentres to communicate with the learnersin their jurisdiction. Till date, over 30 lakhSMSes have been sent for differentpurposes by various IGNOU departments.

The SMS Alerts Service was firstlaunched on November 18, 2008, atIGNOU Headquarters in New Delhi and aselect number of Regional Centres acrossthe country. The inaugural SMS was sentby Vice Chancellor Prof V.N. RajasekharanPillai to approximately 40,000 studentsand staff members. Subsequently, fiveRegional Centres located at Chennai, PortBlair, Guwahati, Itanagar and Imphal wereequipped with the service.

On July 7, 2010, Dr Latha Pillai, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Chairperson of the

the beginning: The inauguration meeting for the SMS Alerts Service in progress at the IGNOU Headquarters in New Delhi. The Service

was launched by Vice Chancellor Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai on November 18, 2008.

Mobile MultiplierSPOTLIGHT

At the click of abutton, IGNOU’sSMS Alerts Servicehas broughtlearners across thecountry one stepcloser to usefulinformation


SMS Alerts Committee, launched thesecond leg of the Service. “IGNOU needsto keep pace with the changing times,wherein both the teachers and the learnersare becoming increasingly tech-savvy. TheService has enabled RCs, Schools, Centresand Divisions to send SMSes to therespective students in their jurisdiction. Ithas helped bridge the information gapbetween the University and thestudents,” she says.

“The Service is being used to communicate the term-end examination results,confirmation of admissions,information about placements,Silver Jubilee Lecture seriesalerts, meeting intimations,alerts about counsellingsessions, reminders to answersheet evaluators, assignmentsubmission, registration,information on newprogrammes, etc.,” says Dr V.S.P. Srivastav, Head,Computer Division.

Boon for Regional CentresThe Service is being used as acore communication tool bythe RCs, in the North-East,Jammu and Andaman andNicobar Islands, apart from others.

Dr. S.J. Neethirajan, RD, Itanagar, says,“Apart from the inhospitable terrain,Arunachal Pradesh often suffers from floodand landslides. Hence, the SMS AlertsService is a boon to the students stayingin such areas. It is highly beneficial forstudents as well as the coordinators andcounsellors.” Er. K.K. Bhat, Jammu RD,

says, “We have a tough region with someof the backward interiors of the state hitby insurgency. The Government postalservices are neither efficient nor reliable.The SMS Alerts Service not only ensuresinstant delivery but also costs little.”

The Service has enabled RegionalCentres to plan various activities in ashort time span. It has also proved to be

an attendance booster.Sudeep Sharma, an MBA

student from IGNOU’s JaipurRegional Centre, says, “TheSMS Alerts Service hasbrought me closer to theUniversity. It has helped meattend workshops and otherevents on a regular basis, andbeing up-to-date about what’shappening in the University.”

Dr Mamta Bhatia, DeputyDirector, Jaipur RegionalCentre, says, “The SMSAlerts Service has sent outthe message that IGNOUcares about its students.”

“The Service has helped inreducing substantially thecost overheads that wereearlier incurred in dispatch ofstudy materials,” says Dr S. Saunand, RD, Port Blair.“Nearly 20,000 students,

enrolled with the Madurai RC, spreadacross 17 districts, would get informationon a regular basis,” says Dr M. Shanmugham, Madurai RD.

Dr V.P. Rupam, Deputy Director, RCDelhi-1, says, “The benefits of the SMSfacility have been immense, consideringthe amount of time consumed in draftingand sending letters through post.”

Serving IGNOU communityThe facility has also increasedcoordination and efficiency within theIGNOU community. Dr Babu P. Ramesh,Reader, School of Inter-Disciplinary andTrans-Disciplinary Studies (SOITS), says, “With the SMS alerts, there is noneed of noting down most of the eventsthat happen in the University. SMS alerts have proved faster and more effectivethan e-mails and even telephoniccommunications.”

Adds Dr Pankaj Khare, Director,Student Registration Division (SRD): “Tilldate, around 50,000 students haveregistered with this Service. Thenoteworthy fact is that they not onlyinclude students presently enrolled withthe University, but also past IGNOUlearners, who want the information sothat they can share it with others.”

Dr. Neeta Kapai, Deputy Director,Campus Placement Cell (CPC), agrees:“IGNOU SMS Alerts Service is a boon foreffectively bridging the communicationgap and bringing the job-aspiring distancelearning population closer to us for quickand interactive exchange of informationand sharing of knowledge to confidentlyface the competitive job world.”

Pro-VC Prof K.R. Srivathsan, who isworking towards launching a 3Gtechnology-enabled SMS service, says,“The 3G technology creates wider scopesfor learners, helping them stream throughvideo, audio and selective Internetbrowsing.”

“New notebooks with built-in 3G chipsets advanced e-learning services. Thiswill allow consulting with academiccounsellors, course coordinators,discussions, etc.”n

FUTURE PLAN

“Bomdila is stillfar from allsense of

communication.But the

introduction ofIGNOU’s SMSAlerts Servicehas helpedme greatly.”

— Prem Bahadur Chetry,Student, Itanagar

IGNOU is working towards

offering Advanced SMS Service

in due course, which will enable

two-way messaging. Students will

be able to read the information at

IGNOU’s end using SMS, wherein

they will get response by SMS

through auto-responders. They will

also be able to edit specific

information such as their profile at

IGNOU’s end. “These services will

further increase the quality of

student support services, as the

response time to student’s queries

will reduce significantly,” says P.V.

Suresh, Assistant Professor,

School of Computer and

Information Sciences

Pro-VC Prof K.R. Srivathsan inaugurating

the SMS Alerts Service at the Jammu RC.

“Assam’s expansestretches to remote andinaccessible areas. TheSMS Alerts Service is aboon in such a scenario.”

— Dr Vardhini BhattacharjeeRD, Guwahati

“Teachers and learners arebecoming tech-savvy. TheService has helped bridge

the information gap betweenIGNOU and its students.”

— Dr Latha Pillai Pro-VC, IGNOU

10

NEWSupdates


The Association of IndianUniversities has said that IGNOUhas the maximum number offoreign students among Indian

educational institutions. Vice ChancellorProfessor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillaiannounced this at the inauguralceremony of the Fifth Coordinators’ Meetof the International Partner Institutions,organised by IGNOU’s InternationalDivision (ID).

“Our aim is globalisation andinternationalisation of education. Themajor challenge facing us is how globaleducational targets can be addressed bythe Partner Institutes of the University.There is also an urgent need topersonalise solutions according to theneed of the Partner Institutes across theworld,” said Prof Pillai.

The meet, held from September 15 toSeptember 17, provided a forum for awider exchange of ideas between allstakeholders to make IGNOU programmesmore viable .

“The meet provides a platform for theprogramme partners to interact,brainstorm and share, apart fromidentifying problems in day-to-dayprocesses and to evolve strategies toplug loopholes,” said Dr Kusum Sharma,Director, ID.

Dr Silima Nanda, Deputy Director, ID,

added, “At present, there are 7,400students enrolled in the InternationalDivision. This means a growth of 23percent over the past year. The reach hasbeen extended to the U.K. and there areplans to extend it further to Canada and France.”

The meeting was attended byrepresentatives of IGNOU PartnerInstitutions in Singapore, Ethiopia, Nepal,Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Sultanate

of Oman, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka,Sharjah, Bahrain, Mauritius, Kyrgystan,Bangladesh, Mongolia, U.K., Malawi,Zambia, Lesotho, Botswana, Egypt,Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Gambia,Madagascar, Liberia, Malawi, Swaziland,Jamaica, Seychelles, Samoa, Namibia andthe UAE. Pro-Vice Chancellors Dr LathaPillai and Dr Parvin Sinclair, apart fromDirectors and staff of the University, werealso present at the event.n

The biennial Pan-CommonwealthForum (PCF) on Open Learning, aninitiative by the Commonwealth of

Learning (COL) to be held in India thisNovember, is attracting positive attention,with over 250 papers already beingreceived by the PCF6 Secretariat atIGNOU’s Maidan Garhi campus in NewDelhi. There are already close to 50registrations from delegates abroad, andthe final number of foreign delegates isexpected to cross 450.

Prof P.R. Ramanujam, Pro-ViceChancellor and Programme Chair, PCF6,said that preparations are on at a freneticpace to make the Conference a success.He is optimistic that the total number ofdelegates will cross 800.

Prof Ramanujam added thatAir-India has come on board asthe “official carrier” of theconference.

Aimed at exploring thecontribution of Open andDistance Learning tointernational development goals,PCF6, jointly organised by COLand IGNOU, is to be held at theLe Meridian Hotel in Kochi, Kerala,from November 24 to 28.

Agricultural scientist Prof M.S.Swaminathan, father of the GreenRevolution in India, is the Honorary Chair.Sir John Daniel, COL President, and ProfV.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor,IGNOU, are the Co-Chairs.

Among the keynotespeakers are: Sir John; ProfBadri N. Koul, former Pro-VC,IGNOU; Steve Maharey, VC,Massey University, NewZealand; and ProfessorEmeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali,Vice Chancellor and Presidentof the Open University,Malaysia. Former Union Minister

Dr Shashi Tharoor will deliver theprestigious ‘Asa Briggs Lecture’.

For registration, contact: ProgrammeChair, PCF6, IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, NewDelhi - 110068. Phone number: (011)29572606. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.pcf6.netn

VC Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai with international delegates at the ‘Fifth Coordinators’ Meet

of the International Partner Institutions’ at the IGNOU Convention Centre in New Delhi.

PCF6 Secretariat receives over 250 papers

Addressing global educational targets

Pro-VC Prof P.R.

Ramanujam.


Dying delicacies back on the platterNEWSupdates

IGNOU is all set to revolutionise thetaste buds of Indians and give them apeek into what’s actually been cooking

around the country apart from the usualdishes prepared by restaurants as regionalcuisines.

Diners will now be able to look beyondPunjabi, Konkani and Kashmiri delicacies,thanks to the University’s decision to setup a first-of-its-kind culinary institute, offering Programmes to promote dyingcuisines from different parts of India.

The Institute, being set up under Schoolof Tourism and Hospitality ServicesManagement (SOTHSM), would train ready-to-employ culinary professionals for all segments of the hotel and restaurantindustry. The institute would also trainready-to-employ culinary professionals forAirline Catering, Cruise-line Catering,Event Management Catering andInstitutional Catering.

According to Vice Chancellor Prof V.N.Rajasekharan Pillai, the introduction of thenew Programmes will help in documenting,preserving, developing and promotingIndia’s regional cuisines.

“Every region or state has a cuisine thatis unique. With the passage of time, someof the most authentic recipes are alreadylost or dying. They need to be documented.That apart, the institute will offer

professional Programmes starting from theCertificate to the PhD level. It will also offeran MBA Programme with specialisation inIndian culinary art,” he said.

Full-time, classroom-mode Programmesin Culinary Arts, Food Production andPatisserie, Food Processing, amongothers, will be offered from the 2011-12academic session in the campus as well asin top-notch hotels and restaurantsapproved by the university.

One of the special features of theinstitute is that the students will get anopportunity to select a course of study asspecialisation in the third year.

Dr Harkirat Bains, Director, SOTHSM,said, “This is a very innovative step. Theinstitute will essentially be a multi-cuisineinstitute, which will educate the studentsabout the history of each cuisine — bothwithin the country as well as globally. Wehave collaborated with big names like theTaj Group of Hotels. Consultants from theTaj will prepare the entire Programmestructure, which will be approved by IGNOUauthorities and other statutory bodies.”

Eminent chefs would be designated asadjunct faculty at the institute and thetraining and project work will be carriedout in collaboration with the hotel andrestaurant industry, she added.

Get ready for a great taste ride!n

Puttu-Kadala, Kerala’s all time favourite breakfast, will be a subject of study among several other

regional dishes at IGNOU’s specialised culinary institute.

n Three-year Degree Course in Culinary Artsn One-year Diploma Course in Food Production

and Patisserien One-year Diploma Course in Food

Processing

Short-term Programmes (to be launched later) n Patisserie & Boulangerie n Indian Cuisine n Euro-American Cuisine n Japanese Cuisine n Pan-Asian Cuisine n Mediterranean Cuisine n Gastronomy Courses

Other Programmes in the pipeline n Master’s in Culinary Administration

Programme n Programme in Entrepreneurial Cuisine n Short-term Summer Programmes for

housewives and household cooks

Main COURSE

(Clockwise from top), media coverage of the

upcoming institute in The Times of India, The

Economic Times and The Hindustan Times.

12

NEWSupdates


There has been a profound parallelgrowth of folk and classicaltraditions in Indian Literature, whichhas subsequently led to the former

enriching the latter to a great extent. Thiswas the idea that stood out at the NationalSeminar titled ‘Tradition of Folk inLiterature,’ organised by School ofHumanities (SOH), on August 30-31.Eminent speakers like Prof Manoj Das,

Prof Indranath Choudhury, Prof JawaharlalHandoo, Prof Anju Sahgal Gupta, Prof Mohd.Zaman Azurdah, Prof Harish Narang, ProfP.R. Ramanujam, Prof G.J.V. Prasad, Prof K.Satchidanandan and Prof K.R.Srivathsan shared theirviewpoints.“The idea that folk literature is

distinct from classical literatureis unreal. In fact, classicalliterature is teeming with folkreferences. Folk literature hasenriched classical literature,”said noted writer Prof Das in hisinaugural address at the seminar,organised as part of the SilverJubilee Lecture Series.He explained that Indian

literature witnessed a parallelgrowth of classical and folktraditions. While classical textsinclude Mahabharata andRamayana, folk or pragmaticliterature consists of texts likePanchtantra, Kathasaritsagar andJataka Tales, apart from oraltraditions of songs sung by a

class of wandering mendicants. In course oftime, the folk tradition, to a great extent,was absorbed into the classical tradition.This mixture elevated many of the folkstories to a sublime level and the epics toobecame more interesting by their inclusion.Speaking at the inauguration ceremony,

Prof Srivathsan said, “The study of folktraditions is a must in Universities.Hundreds of streams of folk literature aredisappearing, including local deities, songs,stories. There is a need to restore India toIndia. Seminars like this are a first step inthis direction. One needs emotions to teach

languages. This can’t be donewithout getting familiar withour folk traditions.”Prof. Satchidanandan,

Director, School of TranslationStudies and Training (SOTST),said: “Folklore has become anethnic curiosity in museums.It becomes gruesome whenrulers appropriate folklore fortheir own agendas. Thisappropriation has happened toBharatanatyam, Mohiniattamand continues in various formseven today. This leads toderision of the originalpractitioners of the art form.” The seminar looked into

several tribal and folktraditions, including folkrenderings of epics likeRamayana and Mahabharata.More than 150 participants

attended the seminar from all over thecountry and presented papers on topicssuch as folk traditions of Bihar, Jammu,Orissa, Kashmir, Bhojpuri, Jagannath Cult,Mizo Folktales, Language Death andMuslim Folk Traditions, etc. In his keynote address titled ‘Civilising

the Civilisation: Oral Discourse and CivilSociety,’ noted folklorist Prof Handoo said,“Out of the 31 epic themes in the world,only nine are women-centric. Most ofthese themes depict women gettingmolested, humbled and humiliated. Infolklore literature, on the other hand,small becomes big and victorious, and thebig is defeated. Problems are solvedthrough stories.”While presenting her seminar report,

Dr Nandini Sahu, Associate Professor ofEnglish, SOH, and organiser of the seminar,said, “It is important that policy plannersare sensitive to the impact of thedevelopmental processes on themarginalised communities. This seminarhas contributed to two major concerns.First, it studied the marginal society in theirspecificity through literature, and second, itdiscussed the impact of marginalisedcommunities’ contact with more complexsocieties.”Prof Renu Bhardwaj, Director, SOH,

announced that “the School willconstitute a committee to encourageresearch into folk literature. We are alsolooking at putting Indian languages in anelectronic form for Indians who aresettled abroad.”n

‘Folk has enriched classical literature’

From left, SOH Director Prof Renu Bhardwaj, noted writer Prof Manoj Das, Pro-VC Prof K.R.

Srivathsan and seminar organiser Dr Nandini Sahu inaugurating the National Seminar on

‘Tradition of Folk in Literature’ at the IGNOU Headquarters on August 30.

“The idea thatfolk literature is

distinct fromclassical

literature isunreal. In fact,

classicalliterature isteeming with

folk references” — Prof Manoj Das

Noted Writer

Based on the seminar’s theme of folkliterature, Dr Nandini Sahu, Associate

Professor of English, SOH, has designed anddeveloped a PG Diploma Programme inFolklore and Culture Studies (PGDFCS).Consisting of 30 credits, the one-year programmeseeks to address that section of students who arenot covered by formal education, and intend topursue higher education in transdisciplinarysubjects. The PG Diploma may soon beconverted into an M.A. Programme in Folkloreand Culture Studies with the addition of anotheryear’s course. Dr Sahu has also proposed anElective Course in Folk Literature in Translation aspart of the M.A. English Programme. She is in theprocess of launching a website on FolkloreStudies. For details, contact Dr Sahu at www.kavinandini.blogspot.com

Folklore Studies


NEWSupdates

factoidsIGNOU has launched a six-month Certificate Programme in PC Hardware and

Networking in collaboration with HCL Infosystems Limited. The first batch of the

programme is being offered in Instructor Led Teaching (ILT) Mode.

NEWSscan

IGNOU, in collaboration with the IndianArmy, has launched a satellite link withLeh in order to facilitate distance educationto Army personnel in remote areas.Army Chief General V.K. Singh

inaugurated the IGNOU satellite link with amilitary base in Leh on August 20, thusextending the University’s educationalonline resources to the army troopsdeployed in the Ladakh region. The satellite link facility, as part of the

University and the Army’s joint projectGyan Deep, will be replicated soon in otherparts of the country.n

Web-based Services in ODL

Dr A. Murali M. Rao, Joint Director,IGNOU Computer Division, has

submitted a research paper on ‘Web-based User Support Services System in Distance Learning.’ The central theme of the System is to

facilitate integration of all functional unitsand provide various web-enabled supportservices by using Information andCommunication Technologies to benefitlearners as well as other usercommunities. The system is beingdeveloped in .Net framework for front-enddesign and in Oracle for back-end.n

Book on Distance Education

Dr Nayantara Padhi,Assistant Professor,

Centre for CorporateEducation, Training &Consultancy (CCETC),IGNOU, has recentlyedited a book titled

‘Total Quality Managementof Distance Education’.

The book brings together theknowledge, perspective and practicalexperience of educators from across theglobe and explores diverse approaches toquality in distance education.n

‘Farmers’ involvement at all levels crucial’

In Agartala, one of the remotest areas inthe North-East and situated just two kmfrom the Bangladesh border, some of thebrightest minds in the field of agriculture

and allied sectors were busy discussing, forthree days, challenges faced by the agricul-ture educational system in managing indige-nous knowledge as well as knowledgegenerated by research and educational in-stitutes for innovative agriculture.“We were successful in evolving inte-

grated strategies to achieve food securityand sustainable agriculture development,particularly in the North-East,” said ProfB.S. Hansra, Professor, School of Agriculture(SOA), IGNOU, that organised the three-dayconference in collaboration with the Interna-tional Food Policy Research Institute(IFPRI), Washington, from August 24 to 26.“Farmers’ involvement at all levels of

agriculture education and knowledge man-agement is very crucial,” Hansra added.The conference got off to a flying start

on August 24 at Pragna Bhavan with theChief Guest, Tripura Chief Minister ManikSarkar, emphasising the need to focus onlocation-based research in agriculture andits allied sectors.“Given the agricultural diversity in terms

of climate, topography, agro-ecological andfarming across the country, the information

management at different institutional lev-els from experts down to the farmers is tobe tackled first, in order to provide our one-billion population food security and ourfarmers an enhanced income,” said Sarkar.Dr Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Director,

ESARO, IFPRI, said: “There is an urgentneed to assess the potential of GM cropsas these are nutrient-enriched, drought-and disease-resistant varieties.”Speaking at the valedictory session

of the conference, Pro-Vice Chancellor DrLatha Pillai said: “There is enough informa-tion available, only these should be trans-lated into application and day-to-day life.” Tripura Governor D.Y. Patil, Chief Guest at

the valedictory session, said: “Without devel-opment of agriculture, India cannot be asuper power. Politicians are not seriousabout formulating and executing a pragmaticagriculture and food policy by adopting newtechnologies and research outcomes.”n

From left, Dr K.S. Chakraborty, Tripura Regional Director; Dr Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Director,

ESARO, IFPRI; Dr D.Y. Patil, Tripura Governor; Pro-VC Dr Latha Pillai; and Prof B.S. Hansra of School

of Agriculture, at the valedictory session of the three-day Conference in Agartala on August 26.

Satellite link for Army in Leh

Dr Nayantara

Padhi.


NEWSupdates

Dalit themes and narratives haveenriched Indian literature to a great extent, said Dr U.R.Ananthamurthy, renowned

Kannada writer and the Tagore Chair inIndian Literature at IGNOU.

While delivering the IGNOU SilverJubilee Lecture on ‘Contribution to IndianLiterature’ on August 20, DrAnanthamurthy examined how Dalits haveresisted the dominance of upper castes ontheir own cultural terms through the “frontyard and a backyard” theory.

Drawing parallels with a typical Hinduhome, the Jnanpeetha Award winnerexplained that the front yard in literaturebelongs to the upper castes, whereas thebackyard provides a literary space for theDalits, women and other lower castes.

“A lot of our literature has come from thebackyard. While heroic literature comesfrom the front yard, the backyard has givenbirth to themes that have enriched Indianliterature. The backyard theory is not justlimited to India. English and otherlanguages also have a backyard,” he said.

While throwing light on the oraltradition in Dalit literature, he said:“Literature that has lost its oral quality isno longer literature. The spoken word iskept alive by the lowest of the low.Proverbs are like Vedas for the poor. Yet,many radical, progressive thinkers don’t

take the oral part of Dalit literature intoconsideration. Indian literature, as weknow it, is not just written literature.”

Touching upon the history of Dalitliterature from the 12th century, DrAnanthamurthy spoke at length about thethemes of Dalit epics. He said the uniquefeature of Dalit epics is that unlike theupper castes, they do not talk of the nation,but the community. “Dalits have made agreat contribution to literature because thebackyard has surpassed the front yard. Wehave a great backyard of unspoken things,metaphors in all Indian languages. These

were all brought to the fore by Dalit writers.Dalit epics glorify everyday life. They borrowfrom older poets to debunk some of theirtheories. In this way, they assist their ownidentity. And this is what makes theirstories so unique,” he added.

Prof Gail Omvedt, Prof B.R. AmbedkarChair on Social Change and Development,was the discussant for the lecture. Shesaid although Dalit literature has madeimportant contributions, it is reaching astate of crisis. “We are still waiting for thecontributions that Dalit literature ispromising us,” Prof Omvedt added.n

‘Dalits have enriched Indian literature’

Dr U.R. Ananthamurthy delivering the IGNOU Silver Jubilee lecture on ‘Dalit Contribution to

Indian Literature’ at the Convention Centre at the Maidan Garhi campus in New Delhi.

NEWSscan

Names of several women folk poets weresystematically wiped off, said Vishnu

Khare, a well-known poet, translator andcritic while delivering the 11th FridaySeminar Lecture series, organised by Schoolof Gender and Development Studies. Thetopic of the lecture was ‘The Daughters ofPunna and Mutta: Contemporary WomenPoets in Hindi.’

“The M.A. in Hindi programmes beingtaught in our Universities are Hindu courseswhich have not been secularised. We need tohijack Mir, Ghalib, Umrao Jaan Ada into theHindi curriculum and secularise it. The namesof several women folk poets have been wipedoff. The Bhakti movement is a politicalmovement, a people’s movement and theDalit uprising can be traced to it,” he said.n

Globalisation and inequality

The process ofglobalisation is

increasing inequalitywithin and acrosscountries, said notedsocial scientist Prof.Alakh N. Sharma whiledelivering the opening

address at the inauguralsession of the second batch of M.A. inLabour and Development (MLD) programme.

Evidences suggest an overalldeterioration in the quality of new jobs, saidProf Sharma, who is also the editor of IndianJournal of Labour Economics.

VC Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillaireleased an information booklet on the MLD Programme during the function.n

‘Innovation in education’

IGNOU has removed the shackles onlearning, believes Prof Rakesh Khurana,Chairman, Knowledge Network India. Prof Khurana was delivering a lecture titled‘Innovations and Development in ODL onCase Studies of Innovation in OnlineLearning,’ organised by the National Centrefor Innovations in Distance Education.n

‘Women poets wiped off’

From left, Dr C.K. Ghosh, Dr Madhulika Kaushik

and Prof Rakesh Khurana.

Prof Alakh

N. Sharma.


REGIONALroundup

factoidsIGNOU has launched a Centre of Excellence for Advance Education &

Research in collaboration with International Institute of Information

Technology (I2IT), Pune. M.Tech, MS and MBA degrees will be offered.

IT skills for school teachers

Keeping in view the needto train schoolteachers in IT Skills,IGNOU has joined

hands with the ICT Academy ofTamil Nadu (ICTACT) to launcha training programme on ‘ITSkills for School Teachers’.

The programme wasinaugurated at the University’sMadurai Regional Centre onSeptember 5. Prof. G.Pankajam, former ViceChancellor of Gandhigram RuralInstitute, was the Chief Guestat the inauguration ceremony. Inher address, Prof Pankajamemphasised the growing need forfamiliarising school teacherswith the fast-changing ITera/borderless world.

While sharing her rich experience in school education, Prof Pankajam insisted thatthe use of Information and Communication Technology is of utmost importance forboth teaching and learning purposes. The teaching-learning atmosphere has to beactive and participative, which is possible only through IT skills, she said, whilecongratulating IGNOU for teaming up with ICTACT to offer this much-needed trainingprogramme to the teachers of Tamil Nadu.

In his welcome address, Dr. M. Shanmugham, Regional Director, Madurai, saidthat the training of the first batch, consisting of 30 teachers, has already started.The programme, which will be extended to all the major cities in Tamil Nadu once thetraining centres are identified, will be conducted with the help of resource personsfrom ICTACT. School teachers will receive certificates jointly issued by IGNOU andICTACT after the successful completion of the training. Introducing the trainingprogramme, Sanjeev Nagar, GM, ICTACT, said that the teachers will have to undergo42 hours of hands-on training in IT skills during weekends.n

From left, P.V. Suresh, Assistant Professor, IGNOU;

Sanjeev Nagar, GM, ICTACT; Prof. G. Pankajam, former VC,

Gandhigram Rural University; and Dr M. Shanmugham,

Regional Director (Madurai), at the event.

IGNOU Institute for Vocational Educationand Training (IIVET), Shillong, incollaboration with the Kasturba-Gandhi

Institute for Development (KGID), Imphal,has launched a two-month trainingprogramme in Kouna Crafts of Manipur.The training programme commenced onAugust 23. The participants are women inthe age group of 15-32 years.

The tradition of Kouna Crafts is one of

the oldest in Manipuri society. Locallynamed Kouna (Water reed), it is a unique,eco-friendly plant distinctively grown inManipur. Kouna Crafts have a valuablemarket both inside and outside the state.

The training programme is an efforttowards marketing these products,encouraging the artisanship and securingthe economic benefits of artisans.

Dr A.S. Guha, OSD, IIVET, and Dr A.Varadarajan, Deputy Director, EDNERU,IGNOU, recently visited Imphal to overseethe training programme.n

Participants at a training session on

Kouna Crafts in Imphal.

IGNOU Institute for Vocational Education andTraining (IIVET), Shillong, sponsored a five-day training programme on ‘Bamboo-basedHousing Systems’ at the Indian PlywoodIndustries Research and Training Institute(IPIRTI), Bangalore. A total of 11 participantsattended the training programme, held fromAugust 9 to 13. While inaugurating theprogramme, Dr C.N. Pandey, Director, IPIRTI,emphasised the importance of trainedmanpower in building bamboo houses andIPIRTI’s commitment in improving humanresource as per the organisation’s mandate.

All the participants were provided with a kitand IPIRTI’s Do-It-Yourself Manual asbackground course material. Jagadish Vengala,Course Director, briefed the participants aboutthe topics which will be covered in the course.

Training on bamboo-

based housing system

George Joseph of Alapuzha, Kerala, astudent of IGNOU’s B.Ed Programme, is

another success story. Joseph, a student at theCochin Regional Centre, has secured a jobwith a reputed school situated in Jeddah,Saudi Arabia.

He believes that IGNOU has helped himunderstand his strengths and weaknesses andalso gave him the awareness to modify hismethods of instruction and administration.

IGNOU success story

Kouna Crafts training in Imphal

Dr Anita Priyadarshini hasbeen appointed Director,

Distance EducationProgramme—Sarva ShikshaAbhiyan (DEP-SSA). DrPriyadarshini has workedwith the National Instituteof Open Schooling (NIOS).n

SATURDAYSeptember 2517:00: United Nations: Nice Guys Finish First, People Count21:00: Industrial Relations in Australia :Issues And Policies21:30: IGNOU:PostHarvest Managementof Fruit and Vegetablesand Freezing of Peasn 22.30: BRAOU: VidyaaMoolyaankanam —Saadhanaalu

SUNDAYSeptember 2607:30: NCERT/CIET-Teachers Prog:Zindagi Ek Kavita08:00: NITTTR: Prop-erties of laser lights08:30: IGNOU:SocialChange in India09:00: Adult Education: SiyaramMain Sabi Jag Jani09:30: CEC/UGC:Countrywide Classroom: Disha – Journalism

MONDAYSeptember 2708:00: NITTTR:Indian technical education systems08.30: IGNOU:Third Mother TeresaMemorial Lecture byHis Holiness The DalaiLama “ Mother AndCompassion”09:30: CEC/UGC:Countrywide Classroom:Natural Hazards — Floods

TUESDAYSeptember 2808:30: Hypertension09:00: Chilika —Our Natural Heritage12.00: Bhasha Mandakini (Sanskrit) :Sanskrit LanguageTeaching Jyotir Vigyan-05

WEDNESDAYSeptember 297:30: NCERT/CIET-Teachers Prog:Bringing Heritage CraftIn School Education08.30: IGNOU: HistoryAnd Examination of AnElderly In A Community09:30: Floriculture

THURSDAYSeptember 3008:00:CNC Machines12:00: Sanskrit Language TeachingJyotir Vigyan -0721:30: IGNOU: Regulat-ing Cyber Space: AMedium, Technology or a Space Part-2


MILEsTONEsONcAmpUs

[Not to be

MissedWatch ‘Regulating Cyber Space:A Medium, Technology or aSpace Part-2’ at 5 pm onSeptember 30. With so much ofour personal information gettingstored in cyberspace and harddrives, we stand to lose bothmoney and privacy if these fallinto the wrong hands.

]

Seminar on Australia

February 2001: IGNOU organises a seminar on

‘Australia in a Changing World’.

lIGNOU organises an International Workshop

on Information and Communication

Technologies for Professional development

of Primary Education Personnel.

lDr Asghar Ali Engineer delivers the Anuvrat

Trust Endowment Lecture.

March 2001: The 12th Convocation is held at

the IGNOU Headquarters.

lIGNOU organises the UNESCO Regional

Training Workshop on the use of electronic

media in distance science teaching.

April 2001: IGNOU observes Fire Safety Week .

May 2001: IGNOU Distance Education Council

signs MoU with National Council for Teacher

Education.

June 2001: IGNOU welcomes Prof H.P. Dikshit

as the new Vice Chancellor.

July 2001: Prof H. Ian Macdonald delivers the

sixth G. Ram Reddy Memorial Lecture.

August 2001: IGNOU signs MoU with Prasar

Bharati.

12th ConvocationDr C.K. Ghosh is NCIDE Director

Dr C.K. Ghosh has beenappointed Director,

National Centre forInnovations in DistanceEducation (NCIDE) at IGNOU.

Earlier, Dr Ghosh servedas Director, Student Services

Centre (SSC). He also has the charge ofCommunity College Unit (CCU).n

Dr Banik appointed NCDS Director

Dr Arun Banik has takenover as Director,

National Centre for DisabilityStudies (NCDS) at IGNOU.He is an expert in Speechand Hearing and DisabilityRehabilitation. Dr Banik

served as an Assistant Director at theRegional Centre of NIHH, Bhubaneswar.n

International Division’s new head

Dr Kusum Sharma hasbeen appointed

Director, InternationalDivision (ID) at IGNOU. Earlier, sheworked with institutions like NCERT, Jamia MilliaIslamia University and

SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai.n

Dr Kurup takes charge of SSC

Dr Jayashree Kurup hastaken over as Director,

Student Services Centre(SSC) at IGNOU. Prior tothis, Dr Kurup served asDeputy Director and UnitHead, EducationalDevelopment of North

East Region Unit (EDNERU).n

Nirupam Sethi, who was working as aData Entry Operator with IGNOU’s

Student Evaluation Division (SED), passedaway on September 15. He joined IGNOUas a Computer Operator in 1990. In his 20years of service at IGNOU, he worked atComputer Division, Academic CoordinationDivision and Student Evaluation Division.n

Dr C.K. Ghosh

OBITUARY

Dr Arun Banik

Dr Anita

Priyadarshini

DEP-SSA gets new Director

Dr Kusum

Sharma

Dr Jayashree

Kurup

HIGHLIGHTS

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